Apple used to be ahead of the curve

[Carouser]

So the OP has said "I want something which does something I don't expect, and Apple hasn't done this - are they falling behind!??"

It's a ridiculous question; I don't see what there even is to discuss - and the OP has been asked to elaborate to little success (apparently Apple needs to make something which overturns a product category, makes the OP say wow, and also a bigger screen or something). I'm stymied.

 

[Irishman]

I can remember when the original iPhone came out people were saying "Apple has created something new when we did not know we even wanted something new". The iPhone had a full touch screen experience that no phone had ever had. It was something new, and it took off. Apple was thinking ahead and thinking outside of the box. Look at the smartphone world now most smartphones are full touchscreen. Apple was ahead of the curve.

With that said what has happened? I love Apple and the way they were always willing to try something that had never been tried before. It just does not seem like that is happening any more. Why have they not come out with a big iPhone? If they were the same company they were back in 2007 they would have make a 4.5 inch iphone 2 years ago before the big screen android phones exploded and got really popular. Also look at the ipad mini that should have come out 2 or more years ago before all the small budget tablets had a chance. The Apple of 2007 would have had all these device out before the competition had a change to think of it. What has happened?

I want it back. I want my iphone to feel like something everyone says "wow" about. Right now the iphone does not really say "wow" that is now the note 2. Sure it is a huge phone and that is not for everyone, but you can't tell me when you see the note 2 you don't say "wow that is a cool looking phone". Notice I said cool looking the build quality is nothing close to Apple but the design is. I want to be surprise by my iphone. I want it to do something that I did not know I wanted to do. Will 2013 bring this? Will iOS 7 be "the next big thing"?

If Apple comes out with a big phone, how is that innovative? Isn't that just "me too"? Does every device Apple makes HAVE to be as game-changing as the iPhone or else it's an abject failure?

You want others to love your iPhone? It sounds like you want it to be a status symbol for you, not a smartphone for you.

 

[bmac4]

If Apple comes out with a big phone, how is that innovative? Isn't that just "me too"? Does every device Apple makes HAVE to be as game-changing as the iPhone or else it's an abject failure?

You want others to love your iPhone? It sounds like you want it to be a status symbol for you, not a smartphone for you.

Nope none of what you said is correct. I said I want Apple to do what they did the iphone in 2007 give us an iphone that blows people away again. The iphone has just become the same in a new hardware design. I used the big screen as an example of how Android has done something first that has become popular. I am saying Apple was the one doing all these first 3 or 4 years ago.

 

[Irishman]

Nope none of what you said is correct. I said I want Apple to do what they did the iphone in 2007 give us an iphone that blows people away again. The iphone has just become the same in a new hardware design. I used the big screen as an example of how Android has done something first that has become popular. I am saying Apple was the one doing all these first 3 or 4 years ago.

So, be specific:

What should they do?

 

[bmac4]

So, be specific:

What should they do?

Alright:

1. Update iOS. Give us a new design. I am not talking about doing all the stuff android has done. I would like the option to change the look of my home screen. If I don't want apps covering the whole thing, I want the option to remove that. Again I don't want it like android I want Apple's polish on it. I want Apple to make iOS something I did not see coming something new.

2. A wider screen would be nice. I am a guy I have big fingers so I would be nice to have a wider keyboard. The length is ok with me.

3. This will never happen, but I like the weight of the 4 and 4s so I would be happy with adding some weight. I think the iphone 5 is too light.

That is my hope. The update to iOS could really wow people again. I am not talking about a brand new device just a new iOS. I also don't want a copy of android. Apple could do their own thing and make it great.

 

[2298754]

Besides inventing the whole concept of the multitouch slate cell phone, Apple has been behind the curve for a long time. They were late to the game on 3G, LTE, high megapixel cameras, etc.

 

[superstarmc]

Alright:

1. Update iOS. Give us a new design. I am not talking about doing all the stuff android has done. I would like the option to change the look of my home screen. If I don't want apps covering the whole thing, I want the option to remove that. Again I don't want it like android I want Apple's polish on it. I want Apple to make iOS something I did not see coming something new.

2. A wider screen would be nice. I am a guy I have big fingers so I would be nice to have a wider keyboard. The length is ok with me.

3. This will never happen, but I like the weight of the 4 and 4s so I would be happy with adding some weight. I think the iphone 5 is too light.

That is my hope. The update to iOS could really wow people again. I am not talking about a brand new device just a new iOS. I also don't want a copy of android. Apple could do their own thing and make it great.

#1 is the biggest by far for me even more than a larger screen. I'm curious to see how different iOS 7 will be without Forstall.

 

[bmac4]

#1 is the biggest by far for me even more than a larger screen. I'm curious to see how different iOS 7 will be without Forstall.

Yep. This is my main reason I say Apple is behind the curve now. When the iphone was still like the 2g, 3G, and 3GS they were cutting edge. Now they just seems they are just keeping even with android. That is not the Apple that I bought into 5 years ago.

With all that said I am a big Apple fan, but like I said before I think they have way more potential then what they are showing.

 

[Vegastouch]

I can remember when the original iPhone came out people were saying "Apple has created something new when we did not know we even wanted something new". The iPhone had a full touch screen experience that no phone had ever had. It was something new, and it took off. Apple was thinking ahead and thinking outside of the box. Look at the smartphone world now most smartphones are full touchscreen. Apple was ahead of the curve.

With that said what has happened? I love Apple and the way they were always willing to try something that had never been tried before. It just does not seem like that is happening any more. Why have they not come out with a big iPhone? If they were the same company they were back in 2007 they would have make a 4.5 inch iphone 2 years ago before the big screen android phones exploded and got really popular. Also look at the ipad mini that should have come out 2 or more years ago before all the small budget tablets had a chance. The Apple of 2007 would have had all these device out before the competition had a change to think of it. What has happened?

I want it back. I want my iphone to feel like something everyone says "wow" about. Right now the iphone does not really say "wow" that is now the note 2. Sure it is a huge phone and that is not for everyone, but you can't tell me when you see the note 2 you don't say "wow that is a cool looking phone". Notice I said cool looking the build quality is nothing close to Apple but the design is. I want to be surprise by my iphone. I want it to do something that I did not know I wanted to do. Will 2013 bring this? Will iOS 7 be "the next big thing"?

Your right. I have got many comments on my GS3. The iPhone just needs something new on the outside as well as on the inside. Everybody looks at it now and just says, "oh, you have an iPhone".

As for you asking will it do something you didnt know it could do,..well like what? It still has to catch up with the others and it doesnt even have NFC yet. Even the new Blackberry has that now.

 

[cynics]

The iPhone can't change too much simply because its what people expect. A lot of customers enjoy it the way it is, how is it going to change?

When the first iPhone came out apple had a clean slate. There were no expectation of familiarity. Everything was new and exciting, and there was no wrong way of doing things.

It almost feels like iOS wasn't even built for expansion. Features especially in the settings menu feel just crammed in. Notifications just jammed in too, I'm constantly being blocked from hitting the back button in apps due to notifications (I know you can swipe them to the left). Newstand annoying in the way. Passbook is still a mystery to me lol. I feel it needs an overhaul. I don't see how they can do it though.

 

[tarheel3559]

There's a lot more to it than just being giant. They implemented a ton of features in touchwiz like multi window, pop out apps, and tons of other features. It has the highest rated customer review average on every carrier its on. Its quite a bit higher than any of the iphone.

I have one question...why in the hell do you want a "giant" phone? What ever happened to the days of creating smaller devices that didn't take up a whole pocket. The whole point of a cell phone is exactly that, a cellular phone. I like apps and games on my phone just as much as the next person, but there comes a time when we need to sit down and realize we don't need bigger screens. We have devices made with bigger screens you can purchase for those activities. The iPhone screen is currently as big as it should get in my opinion. If everyone and their mother keeps asking for a "bigger screen" soon enough we might as well walk around with iPads strapped to our hips, then what happens when those screens aren't big enough? We carry around 15" phones? The whole point I'm attempting to make we have to stop the "more" mentality. As has been pointed out in this thread, there are devices made for specific purposes if you wish to have that. I don't need a phone I can have multiple windows open on. I don't need a phone that comes with a stylus (pretty sure that's a step backwards in time to the PDA days). I mean does no one remember the days of bag phones? Sure we can create lighter devices now, but we're back to increasing their sizes. I don't want another bag phone.

I get it...everyone has different needs and desires in their life. The OP is right to an extent. Apple created that "wow" factor back in 2007 when the original iPhone came out. Sure, they were "slow" for web browsing and didn't have MMS, but hey, they were tough phones that had amazing technology in them. Now they're creating phones that break if you use them in the course of every day life. Wifi problems, cellular problems, finishing quality problems, hardware component problems (such as sleep buttons not functioning on iPhone 5s).

Apple became incredibly mainstream in recent years. You look around tons of people have iPhones. "i"-Products are taking over lives. You'd be hard pressed to walk into a restaurant, store, bar, business, anywhere really and not find a dozen Apple products (assuming there were enough people in the location) that individuals have with them.

 

[bmac4]

The iPhone can't change too much simply because its what people expect. A lot of customers enjoy it the way it is, how is it going to change?

At some point doesn't Apple need to say we know best and people trust them? If Apple only worried only about keeping current customers happy they would never gain new ones. Steve Jobs did not start Apple to just sit on what works. You have to try new things to move ahead. Look at Apple maps. We all know its crap, but at least Apple is trying something. In time it will be good. Apple maps did not stop people from buying the iphone 5 did it? Why can't Apple try something different with IOS? I think they could create something amazing again.

 

[Abazigal]

IMO, that's what happen when you get something right the first time round.

Apple pretty much nailed the ipad's form factor in 2010. Afterwards, there wasn't really much they could do to improve a giant screen save for incremental spec boosts and a better resolution.

At the same time, it was only a matter of time before the competition learnt how to reverse-engineer the ipad, distill out what makes it so desirable, and release alternatives of their own. If anything, I am amazed the ipad is still able to command the market share it does currently.

 

[nuckinfutz]

The OP is basically saying

"Apple's not ahead of the curve because they haven't made the larger screen that 'I' value"

If you can look beyond your own needs and realize there are billions of other people that also have things they like you'll realize that Apple hasn't been kept awake an nights thinking about what a single person needs in a smart phone.

Larger phones are becoming more popular but smaller phones still dominate total sales.

 

[zhenya]

Ok so how did Apple get to where is today? I think it was from trying new things that they had no idea if they would work or not. That is what I am asking of them again. You said " you can't expect an industry changing product every year", but we have not seen one in 6 years from Apple. I am not asking for some crazy new product I just want some different. Not just a different design.

The iPad came out in 2010; less than 3 years ago.

You can't expect a revolution every year or even 3, and frankly, your list of what would wow you now is totally ho-hum.

 

[Sdahe]

Im really enjoying my Nexus 4.... This is way better than my iphone 4S

 

[Vegastouch]

I have one question...why in the hell do you want a "giant" phone? What ever happened to the days of creating smaller devices that didn't take up a whole pocket. The whole point of a cell phone is exactly that, a cellular phone. I like apps and games on my phone just as much as the next person, but there comes a time when we need to sit down and realize we don't need bigger screens. We have devices made with bigger screens you can purchase for those activities. The iPhone screen is currently as big as it should get in my opinion. If everyone and their mother keeps asking for a "bigger screen" soon enough we might as well walk around with iPads strapped to our hips, then what happens when those screens aren't big enough? We carry around 15" phones? The whole point I'm attempting to make we have to stop the "more" mentality. As has been pointed out in this thread, there are devices made for specific purposes if you wish to have that. I don't need a phone I can have multiple windows open on. I don't need a phone that comes with a stylus (pretty sure that's a step backwards in time to the PDA days). I mean does no one remember the days of bag phones? Sure we can create lighter devices now, but we're back to increasing their sizes. I don't want another bag phone.

I get it...everyone has different needs and desires in their life. The OP is right to an extent. Apple created that "wow" factor back in 2007 when the original iPhone came out. Sure, they were "slow" for web browsing and didn't have MMS, but hey, they were tough phones that had amazing technology in them. Now they're creating phones that break if you use them in the course of every day life. Wifi problems, cellular problems, finishing quality problems, hardware component problems (such as sleep buttons not functioning on iPhone 5s).

Apple became incredibly mainstream in recent years. You look around tons of people have iPhones. "i"-Products are taking over lives. You'd be hard pressed to walk into a restaurant, store, bar, business, anywhere really and not find a dozen Apple products (assuming there were enough people in the location) that individuals have with them.

So which phone do you have?

 

[Technarchy]

The Note II is essentially a giant Galaxy SIII with a stylus. I personally fail to see how this is "ahead of the curve". Also, i see a Note II once in a while in the wild and "wow that is a cool looking phone" is not what comes to mind i assure you. Instead my thoughts are more this...

To each their own of course.

More like this...

 

[Essenar]

Who needs a phone anymore?

I walked around with an iPad Mini on 4G with my T-Mobile sim and used Talkatone to forward all my Google voice calls to my iPad through 4G.

And then I actually saw a reflection of myself holding my iPad up to my head. I looked like a damn jackass.

So I'm getting a Nexus 7 with HSPA+ and I'm going to use that as my phone.

 

[SpyderBite]

What I am saying is that android phones got bigger and even more popular

When the average consumer (majority of the smartphone sales) doesn't know the difference between an Android or Apple or Palm or Blackberry.. They'll likely choose the cheapest/free. Market share in the smartphone business doesn't equate exclusively on "popularity".

You niche folks need to get over the fact that you are not the average consumer. In fact, you/we are only a very small portion of the total sales.

 

[Essenar]

When the average consumer (majority of the smartphone sales) doesn't know the difference between an Android or Apple or Palm or Blackberry.. They'll likely choose the cheapest/free. Market share in the smartphone business doesn't equate exclusively on "popularity".

You niche folks need to get over the fact that you are not the average consumer. In fact, you/we are only a very small portion of the total sales.

Yeah, it's like the video card industry. Everyone gets in flames about their $300-500 video cards not realizing that no one gives a crap. They only release those so they can have a better performing low-range integrated cheap GPU to throw in their mass produced $400 laptops.

 

[bmac4]

The OP is basically saying

"Apple's not ahead of the curve because they haven't made the larger screen that 'I' value"

If you can look beyond your own needs and realize there are billions of other people that also have things they like you'll realize that Apple hasn't been kept awake an nights thinking about what a single person needs in a smart phone.

Larger phones are becoming more popular but smaller phones still dominate total sales.

Why are you stuck on the example I gave of Note II? No I do not have to have a huge phone, and I do not think that is why Apple is behind the curve. This is the easiest thing for you guys to argue with me about so are are attacking it. I DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A 5 inch PHONE. I just fresh new idea in the iphone.

----------

The iPad came out in 2010; less than 3 years ago.

You can't expect a revolution every year or even 3, and frankly, your list of what would wow you now is totally ho-hum.

You have got to be kidding me. Sure the ipad was a device in size that nobody had seen before, but don't kid yourself it ran iOS it was not some revolutionary device that ran some OS we have never seen. It had iOS which we had seen for 3 years in the iPhones. Sure it create a new market for tablets, but it was just another iOS device just like the iphone, and iPod touch. Ipad does some thing different than an iphone, but you know it really is just a 9inch iPod touch. I have an ipad 2 and an iphone 5, and they are not that much different other than size, and you know that.

My wish list is not ho-hum. I ask for a redesign of iOS that would be huge for the iphone. If they changed the UI of iOS that would be the single biggest thing that has happened to the iphone since 2007. I don't call that ho-hum.

 

[zhenya]

You have got to be kidding me. Sure the ipad was a device in size that nobody had seen before, but don't kid yourself it ran iOS it was not some revolutionary device that ran some OS we have never seen. It had iOS which we had seen for 3 years in the iPhones. Sure it create a new market for tablets, but it was just another iOS device just like the iphone, and iPod touch. Ipad does some thing different than an iphone, but you know it really is just a 9inch iPod touch. I have an ipad 2 and an iphone 5, and they are not that much different other than size, and you know that.

My wish list is not ho-hum. I ask for a redesign of iOS that would be huge for the iphone. If they changed the UI of iOS that would be the single biggest thing that has happened to the iphone since 2007. I don't call that ho-hum.

If you don't think that a device that completely destroyed one up and coming market (the netbook) and completely changed another (the laptop) while simultaneously creating it's own new market, I don't know what to tell you. It is the epitome of a technical revolution.

Fortunately Apple rarely makes change for change's sake. Good design has an extremely long lifespan. There are tons of examples in software and hardware where good products were completely ruined by feature creep.

 

[bmac4]

If you don't think that a device that completely destroyed one up and coming market (the netbook) and completely changed another (the laptop) while simultaneously creating it's own new market, I don't know what to tell you. It is the epitome of a technical revolution.

Fortunately Apple rarely makes change for change's sake. Good design has an extremely long lifespan. There are tons of examples in software and hardware where good products were completely ruined by feature creep.

Ok when the next iPhone comes out later this year making this Sprints and Verizon's 3rd iPhone, and we don't see a huge jump in sales then you tell me good design last a long time. One of the biggest reasons that the iPhone 4S was so big in sales was because Verizon and Sprint just got their first iPhone. People fail to see this. People just want to say sales have jumped, but look at some of the reasons why. Then came the iPhone 5 a new design on 3 different large market carriers. Sale were huge. Now we will have another S model iPhone with the same iOS. It is getting pretty tired. People are getting tired. I think this will be the first time Apple will see a lower number in sales of iPhones unless they change up iOS.

How long has Apple been really got popular with its computers? I don't think it has been that long. Look at what Microsoft did. They were huge for about 10 years then people got tired of them. Windows XP was just another windows. If Apple keeps giving the us the same thing over and over people get tired of it.

 

[Irishman]

Beating Apple to the Punch!

Speaking of Apple being "beaten to the punch", here's an article on why it might not matter after all.

http://www.macstories.net/stories/always-beaten/